Safety seat



J. A. HOYT SAFETY SEAT Aug. 26, 1941.

Filed May 25, 1940 Patented Aug. 26, 1941 SAFETY SEAT John A. Hoyt, Glenview, 111., assignor of one-third to John F. Fonder, Evanston, Ill., and one-third to James A. Hoyt, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 23, 1940, Serial No. 336,722

- hauling portion 6.I of the suspension cord 6, us-

4 Claims.

This invention relates to safety seats of the general type of the boatswains chair but with additional features contributing to the safety of the occupant.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of safety seat for supporting a worker in high places so as to obviate any necessity for conscious attention to balance and thus permit complete concentration upon work in progress; to provide a safety seat of this kind that will not become unsafe upon the breakagev of any-single element of its structure; to provide an eflicient combination of a few simple, sturdy partsrelated one to another in the normal functioning of the device and interconnected so that any one of them is fully supplemented by another in the safe support of the occupant; and to provide a novel arrangement of the various parts to prevent the rope slings from applying strains to the adjacent parts of the occupants body which might interfere with blood circulation and cause benumbing and discomfort.

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A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a man occupying the safety seat and in the act of raising himself in a tree.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the safety seat.

Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 2 but showing the parts in perspective.

Fig. 4 is a section taken through the spreader member on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig, 5 is a detail of a knot tying the end of the lanyard to the suspension cord.

In the form shown in the drawing, the safety seat comprises a seat board I which carries the weight of the occupant and is carried by a sling 2 of rope which connects the seat member with a spreader member 3. waist of the operator and is connected by means of a sling 5 with the spreader 3. The spreader is in turn secured to a suspension cord 6 which is thrown over an elevated support like a tree branch and has a loop I tied about the middle A belt 4 encircles the ing for this purpose what is known as a brake knot, a form of which is shown loosely tied for illustration in Fig. 5. When drawn up tight, this knot will not slip. because of the binding action of the part of lanyard 6.2 that is under strain. When relieved of this strain this knot can be. grasped by the workman and, slidralong the cord 6.I to lower the seat. When released the knot automatically resumes its hold through strain on the lanyard 6.2,

The slings 2 and 5 are preferably made of a single piece of rope, coiled upon itself to form the two sling loops, one for supporting the seat and the other for connection to the belt, the ends of the rope being spliced together as at 5.l and the splice being preferably either behind the belt, as shown, or below the seat.

The seat board I is provided with end notches 9 to receive the adjacent parts of the slingiand these partsare confined in the notches 9 by straps Ill.

The belt may be a stout leather strap provided with guide straps l l for holding the belt in place with respect to the sling 5 and a lashing I2 for securing the belt against shifting along the sling. The straps II are also conveniently located for supporting snap hooks l3 by means of which tools or supplies may be readily suspended and the belt is also provided with the usual buckle l4 connecting its ends.

The spreader 3 is made up of two parts [5 which are parallel with each other and grooved on their opposed, faces to receive adjacent portions of the sling loops 2 and 5, the grooving being such that each rope will be individually tightly gripped through the clamping action of the spreader members l5 when they are formed together by the ferrules I6 which are driven over their ends and fastened in place by set screws or pins ll.

Adjacent each side of the belt and at points spaced some distance from the ends of the spreader 3, there is a lashing l8 which securely fastens together the respective side portions of the slings 2 and 5. The length of the seat sling 2 is such that the spreader 3 will be at the level of the plane of the belt 4 when the weight of the wearer is normally carried by the suspension cord and seat sling as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of the device shown is in genity of the cords of the seat sling pinching the operator's thighs and interfering with his blood circulation; and there is added safety through the provision of the belt and the belt sling connecting the belt with the spreader. By clamping the sling ropes tightly between the members of the spreader, each is securely held independent of the other.

The belt sling 5 permits the workman to lean out when necessary even to the extent of entirely relieving the seat from any of the load.

The lashings I8 which connect the two slings also contribute to the safety and the belt prevents any possibility of the occupant losing his balance and falling from the seat. If the seat sling should break, the belt sling will support the workman. The belt also gives confidence to the workman and enables him to have full use of his hands and to devote attention to his work without giving thought to the necessity of maintaining his position on the seat.

By shifting the lashings IS the device can be adjusted to the form of the individual workman who is to use it.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. A safety seat comprising a horizontally elongated spreader, a pair of endless sling loops, each having a portion of its peripheral length extending along and attached at spaced points to said spreader, a belt within and attached to one of said loops, a seat attached within the other said loop, and a suspension cord having a part attached to said spreader and embracing the adjacent parts of both loops of said pair.

2. A safety seat comprising a seat board, a belt, a horizontally elongated rigid spreader, an endless cord coiled to form a loop surrounding said belt and a loop embracing said seat board, and each said loop having a part lying along and secured to said spreader at points adjacent both ends thereof, and a suspension cord having a looped part embracing adjacent portions of said spreader and of each said endless cord loops, said seat loop being of such length that said spreader will normally lie substantially in the plane of the belt under normal load.

3. A safety seat comprising a spreader, a pair of endless sling loops, each having a portion of its peripheral length attached at spaced points to said spreader, a belt within and attached to one of said loops, a seat attached within the other said loop, a suspension cord having a loop tied about said spreader and the adjacent parts of both loops of said pair, said spreader comprising a pair of opposed clamping bars grooved lengthwise in their adjacent faces to receive portions of said loops and pressed together to embrace and clamp said sling loops against relative slipping.

4. A safety seat comprising a spreader, a pair of sling loops, each having a portion of its peripheral length disposed along said spreader, a belt within and attached to one of said loops, a seat attached within the other said loop, said spreader comprising a pair of opposed clamping bars grooved lengthwise in their adjacent faces to receive portions of said loops and pressed together to embrace and clamp said sling loops against relative slipping, and a suspension cord having a part attached to said spreader and embracing parts of both said sling loops.

JOHN A. HOYT. 

